Skip to main content
University of Nebraska Omaha logo University of Nebraska Omaha
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY

Students Faculty Staff Community
University of Nebraska Omaha logo
College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
APPLY MY UNO DIRECTORY
Students Faculty Staff Community
  • About Us Backback to Main menu
    • About Us
    • News
    • CEHHS Instructional Technology Office
    • Faculty & Staff Directory
    • Publications
  • Academics Backback to Main menu
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Teacher Certification Pathways
    • Academic Advising and Field Experiences
    • Study Abroad
    • Academic Policies & Procedures
    • Accreditation
  • Admissions Backback to Main menu
    • Admissions
    • Apply
    • Scholarships
    • Graduate Assistantships
  • Student Involvement
  • Community Engagement Backback to Main menu
    • Community Engagement
    • Community Counseling Clinic
    • Speech-Language Hearing Clinic
    • Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium
    • Phi Delta Kappa
    • Service Learning
  • Research Backback to Main menu
    • Research and Creative Activity
    • Health and Kinesiology
    • Biomechanics Research Building
    • Center for Research in Human Movement Variability
    • Journal of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning and Leadership in Education
  • Support Us
  1. UNO
  2. College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
  3. News
  4. 2023
  5. 07
  6. Grant to Address Barriers Faced by Students Pursuing Behavioral Health Provider Careers

Grant to Address Barriers Faced by Students Pursuing Behavioral Health Provider Careers

  • published: 2023/07/17
  • contact: College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
  • email: unocehhs@unomaha.edu
A group of people stand in a hallway, talking to each other

New funding will provide improved support to graduate students pursuing careers as behavioral health providers in UNO’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program.

This story appeared in the most recent issue of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences Annual Report.


The Department of Counseling was recently awarded two grants totaling $1M from UNMC’s Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) through the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) Award Program.

The grant funding will provide improved support to graduate students pursuing careers as behavioral health providers in UNO’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. The goal is to address Nebraska’s shortage of behavioral and mental health providers by focusing on program recruitment and retention as well as training and supervision.

According to Department Chair Tina Chasek, Ph.D., LIMHP, LADC, students face various barriers during their advanced education, which can hinder their ability to complete their program successfully. These barriers include long unpaid clinical internships, difficulties finding quality supervision, and obtaining advanced training in specialized areas.

Providing extra support during clinical experiences will allow students to finish the program and go on to apply for provisional licensure as a mental health practitioner in the State of Nebraska,"

 Dr. Tina Chasek

"Providing extra support during clinical experiences will allow students to finish the program and go on to apply for provisional licensure as a mental health practitioner in the State of Nebraska," explained Dr. Chasek.

The grants will support program recruitment and clinical training experiences, as well as fund a clinical training instructor to manage UNO’s Community Counseling Clinic. The department also hopes to double the number of students completing practicum, expand internships and quality supervision, offer advanced clinical training in areas such as telebehavioral health and evidence-based suicide and crisis interventions, and provide living stipends and financial support for licensure.

"We are excited to have the resources to help students learn about career possibilities in the behavioral health field," said Dr. Chasek. "Many students don’t think about counseling as an option when they think about careers in the healthcare field. They think of traditional health care professions like doctor, nurse, physician assistant. We want to change that by showing the pathway to a licensed counseling profession."


GRANT DETAILS

Advanced Clinical Training for Counselors in Training
PI: Charmayne R. Adams, PhD, LIMHP, NCC

Counselor Training Recruitment and Clinical Practicum Experience
PI: Abby Bjornsen-Ramig, PhD, LP

$1M in grant funding from UNMC's BHECN; $482k will go directly to students; Remove financial barriers; Expand training opportunites

News Sections

  • College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences News Center
  • UNO News Center
  • Maverick Daily
  • The Bullseye
  • Campus Events

Featured

  • Health Science Collaborative Nears Completion
  • American Sign Language Minor Thrives in First Year
  • UNO Launches Statewide Learning Hub for Nebraska Educators
  • Education Students Experience Global Learning in Kenya

Most Viewed

  • Educational Leadership Programs Now 100% Online
  • Parkinson Voice Project Supports Education and Therapy in Speech-Language Clinic
  • Teacher Education Supports Literacy Initiatives

Contact Us

If you have a story idea, news tip or inquiry please contact us at:

  • College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
  • Email: unocehhs@unomaha.edu
  • Phone: 402.554.2719

About the College of Education

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences

Contact Us
  • College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
  • Roskens Hall
  • 6001 Dodge Street
  • Omaha, NE 68182   map
  • 402.554.2719
Social media
Academic Units
  • Department of Biomechanics
  • Department of Counseling
  • Department of Educational Leadership
  • School of Health and Kinesiology
  • Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders
  • Teacher Education Department
roskens hall

Next Steps

  • Visit UNO
  • Request Information
  • Apply for Admission
  • The UNO Advantage
  • Our City (Omaha)

Just For You

  • Future Students
  • Current Students
  • Work at UNO
  • Faculty and Staff
  • A-Z List

Popular Services and Resources

  • my.unomaha.edu
  • Academic Calendar
  • Campus Buildings & Maps
  • Library
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Course Catalogs
  • Internships & Career Development
  • The Maverick Store
  • MavCARD Services
  • Military-Connected Resource Center
  • Speech Center
  • Writing Center
  • Human Resources
  • Center for Faculty Excellence

Affiliates

  • University of Nebraska System
  • NU Foundation
  • Buffett Early Childhood Institute
  • Daugherty Water for Food Institute
  • National Strategic Research Institute
  • Peter Kiewit Institute
  • Rural Prosperity Nebraska
  1. University Policies
  2. Privacy Statement
  3. Accessibility
  1. 402.554.2800

University of Nebraska Omaha
University of Nebraska Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE, 68182
  • ©  
  • Emergency Information Alert
  • MavsReport

Social Media


Omaha Skyline

Our Campus. Otherwise Known as Omaha.

The University of Nebraska does not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation in its education programs or activities, including admissions and employment. The University prohibits any form of retaliation taken against anyone for reporting discrimination, harassment, or retaliation for otherwise engaging in protected activity. Read the full statement.